Farewell for a wee while....

If an old closed pub from the 1930’s could speak Conway’s Bar in Mullagh of West Clare would have many stories to tell. This place was a hot bed of Irish music during its burgeoning years from the 1960’s onwards. Everyone played here, everyone wanted to play here. As the crowds milled about Miltown Malbay up the road, especially during the Willie Clancy festival, it was here in Conways that people escaped to, and stayed up all night, filling the back rooms, with music being played along the stairs, the garden opening up to manage them all.

I’m sitting with Diarmuid by the old fireplace of the house next door. He is the grandson of the man who opened the pub itself and he tells me the story of when the legendary Matt Molly came as a teenager to play at Conway’s. His Grandfather was called down to the room to listen, ‘Go on son, play us a tune.’ And Matt Molloy impressed him so much he asked for his wife to move into the spare room for the night for this young man would be taking his bed. Yes, they all came here, and so Diarmuid, who has memories of collecting glasses and hopping around the heels of the clientele, took it on to renovate the old house, and, although not wanting to reopen the pub fully, he hosts a yearly music gathering there. And so the pub walls absorb the sound of Irish music again, and the locals in the town, who reminisce of the sheer magic that happened there, are happy to see it return.

As I wake up on my last morning in Mullagh and prepare to hit the road I wanted to drop in and let you all know that I’ll be taking a break for 4 weeks from The House of Oaks and Owls. I will be on-site working at the Electric Picnic festival and be needing all my energy for that.

So this morning I’ll be skirting the West Coast of Clare, making my way up towards Liscannor, Lisdoonvarna, Ballyvaughan and Kilfenora and onwards Galway city to catch the tale end of the Arts Festival there.

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been reading each week, supporting and commenting.

I’m enjoying every moment.

Beannachti

P.S I will be pausing all subscriptions for 1 month so everyone is still receiving the 12 months in a yearly subscription.

Many thanks

D